He chuckled. "Yes, actually I am. This means the whole world to me. Everything that’s happened to me lately. Finding my true mate and learning that she's carrying my child. I just never thought it would happen to me."
"We're both lucky then. I just wish I didn't have to go back to that cramped apartment. But with only a few months left, I can't really complain."
"Dane just called to inform me that Garrett’s in town again. With the exception of Raoulf, who just picked up another assignment, we're going to try to get together real soon."
"You should. I remember you saying how you guys don't get to meet up often because of your job responsibilities," she said.
"Yeah, this is a nice window of opportunity since I don't plan on staying in town either over the next couple months. He tells me there's another stable Wolf Pack near your campus. They're a friendly bunch and wouldn't mind me staying on their turf temporarily. I'll see what they have in terms of home rentals out there, and that way I can stay close by, and of course, you can totally ditch your apartment to come keep me company."
"That sounds like something I totally would do," she said, tracing the hardened muscles of his upper chest.
“And I have more good news. The main reason Dane called was to let us know that the eminent domain proceedings were halted early this morning," he said.
"What? But I thought…"
"Yeah, I thought after we disappointed your dad that we'd have to fight for our land another way. Mr. Johnston pulled up the documents to confirm and it seems that your dad's signature is on the documents."
She sighed. "About last night. I know he'll come around. He can be a hard ass sometimes and he's kind of set in his ways."
"You don't have to explain. If it were my daughter, I'd respond the same way. I'll just be prepared to prove myself to him. I don't want to be the person who comes between a father and his daughter."
"Don't worry. I have to prove myself to him all the time. He won't understand this mating thing. That one will take time."
"Certainly. Would he understand if you became my wife sooner rather than later?"
Chelsey blushed. "Brock, are you asking me to be your wife?"
"That’s exactly what I'm asking, Princess. You will be my wife, won't you?"
Her belly chose that moment to growl in hunger and they shared a laugh.
"Does my acceptance include breakfast in bed?" she asked.
"Anything for my mate and mother of my child."
Epilogue
Four Weeks Later
Chelsey held the cell phone between her ear and shoulder. "Yes, Mom, I'm eating healthier now. You and Dad don't have to worry about that. Brock's been making sure of that. I'm gaining weight faster than I did my freshman year and Brock here claims it's sexy."
"Sounds like you've got yourself a good man. I can't wait to meet him."
Brock came up behind as she stood at the counter kneading some dough in preparation of dinner and kissed her temple. He smelled of fresh pine soap. She took a peek behind her and almost swooned at the sight of him wrapped in nothing but a towel. His skin was still glistening with water droplets from the shower. His hair was damp and slicked back. With one hand on the handset, she tugged at the towel, revealing the sizable package she'd been craving all afternoon during her class lectures.
She bit her lip and held back a gasp as he pressed his body against hers and bent his lips low to tease and sensitive skin above her collarbone.
"Tell her I can't wait to meet her either," he whispered.
"He says he can't wait either, Mom."
"I'll have time to brush up on my cooking skills before you guys get here. It's been so long since I prepared a dinner," she said.
"That's okay--"
Chelsey was cut off the moment Brock slipped his hands under her skirt. He pulled her firmly against his hardness. His mouth never left her skin. His breath fanned across her neck. He left heated trails along the column of her throat as he kissed and caressed her there.
"What was that? You sound a little breathless. Make sure you're not overworking yourself either," her mom said.
"I'm fine," Chelsey breathed. "I'm not overworked at all."
Brock's eager fingers flittered across her hip. She caught his hand and held it before he got her too worked up.
She covered the receiver and told him, "Give me a minute and we'll finish this."
"Will be ready when you are," he said in a low, husky voice and then sat at the kitchen table with erection on full blast and all.
"Is that Brock?" her mom asked.
"Yes, we're having an early dinner," Chelsey replied.
"I'm impressed that he moved out there just so he could be with you while you finished college. All and all, I'm glad you don't have to do this alone."
"That definitely makes things less stressful for everyone. Looks like we'll be back in town just in time for Halloween. I hope you brought some chocolate back with you from Germany."
"As a matter of fact, I did," she said. "But come home soon before your dad eats them all. I think he's gone through a box of them already."
"Tell him to lay off my sweets," she joked. On a more serious note, she asked, "How are you two?"
"We're getting along for now," she said. "I guess I have you to thank for that. After hearing how happy you are with Brock, we thought we could use some positive energy between us. Especially now that we'll be grandparents next year."
"I'm so happy for you two. So Dad's been getting adjusted to that notion without fuss then, right?"
"He's very happy about becoming a grandfather. He had a meeting with that other shifter you were telling me about. The leader. The Alpha. David? Daniel?"
"Dane."
"Yes, that's it. They're talking about doing something similar to what he did for the wolf packs in our hometown."
"So, I've heard," Chelsey said, turning back around to steal a glance at Brock who was still sitting naked at the kitchen table snacking on a few pieces of the raw veggies she'd used to make the salad.
"You know what, Chelsey. I'm going to let you two lovebirds go. I'll call you tomorrow and let you know how I did with my job interview at Tellevue County Library.”
"Good luck, Mom, but I know you've got this one in the bag."
"Take care."
"Your mom sounds nice," Brock said after she disconnected the call.
"You were listening, weren't you?"
"I couldn't help it," he said. "My sense of hearing isn't average by any means."
She walked toward him. "You know what else isn't average…?"
"What's that?"
He grasped her about the thighs, slid his hands upward, lifted her dress and revealed that she wore no panties. She pressed her lips down to his and straddled his lap. She was already wet and ready for him and she took him with ease. He groaned his pleasure.
"I think you know," she said, pushing herself down to the hilt over him until she was filled completely.
"Does this please you?" he asked, gripping her about the hips and directing her pussy up and down over his steely shaft.
"Yes," she moaned.
"That's perfect, Princess. You're so fucking perfect for me," he groaned, resting his head against her breasts before lapping at her nipple with his tongue.
In the privacy of their home, and where no one could ridicule or interrupt them, they made love. If this moment was any indication of what her future would hold, she was the luckiest woman alive.
Rebel Unveiled
Story Summary
REBEL UNVEILED (ASPEN VALLEY WOLF PACK)
They say one way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but personal chef Nina Moore won’t realize how true that is until the handsome tattooed stranger who helped her out of a bind returns to her home night after night to taste test her best creations. She’s fully aware that he’s different, but there’s more to both sides of him than meets the eye. He's scarred, dangerous, and sexy. Innocent attraction becomes full b
lown lust that neither of them can deny. When she finds out about his ulterior motives, she has to decide whether to trust him or send him on his way. He’s the only one that can help her quickly rectify the mess that led him to her in the first place. But how can she rely on her own judgment when all she wants to do is drag him from the dining room chair where she feeds him and onto the bed to have her way with?
Wolf shifter Raoulf Justice is a legendary bounty hunter and a purebred rebel. Those two personas don’t always mix, especially when it comes to following protocol. When he accepts a case that leads him straight to the doorstep of a woman who could possibly be his mate, he doesn’t hesitate when he makes the decision to guard her with his life. A woman he never knew existed could be his bounty as well as the suspect who his client is so hellbent on locating. His success rate is what makes him the most sought after bounty hunter in the country, but this time he’ll fail his mission. He won’t turn in the sexy chef who feeds his soul and quenches every hunger within him…he’ll keep her for himself. After all, no one should ever deny a man his favorite meal.
Chapter 1
“Here’s a snapshot of the woman I need you to find.”
Raoulf Justice studied his potential client, Warren Chestnut, intently as he sat behind the large glass desk. Mr. Chestnut pushed the photo across the surface for him to examine. He looked down briefly at the grainy photo of the beautiful woman and then peered up again at the man who was looking for her. His intuition told him that something was off.
“You came highly recommended by a friend of mine,” the man said. “He’s a member of your pack.”
Warren Chestnut was a shifter who had just joined a neighboring Pack. Raoulf knew very little about the Chestnut family, but he had been made aware that Mr. Chestnut chose to keep his nature as a shifter a secret from the general public. Most of the humans who conducted business with Mr. Chestnut thought he was human. Only fellow shifters could tell the difference right away. When shifters came out to the public decades earlier, the Chestnuts were one of those families who felt it more beneficial to remain low-key. The man owned several hotel chains across this region and outing himself now would likely cause the end of many lucrative business arrangements.
Warren shuffled uncomfortably in his chair and then reached up to grasp and loosen his tie. The man seemed to be getting impatient and uneasy. Raoulf had that affect on people. Every day he went about his daily life wondering why people were in such a rush. The time would pass regardless. Nonetheless, Raoulf’s keen and fixated focus must have unnerved the man.
“About your fee…” Mr. Chestnut pushed a manila envelope across the table. “In cash. Half now. I’ll deliver the remaining, plus a tip, upon completion of the assignment.”
“I require cash payment for my services up front,” Raoulf stated.
Mr. Chestnut cleared his throat. “Oh…well, that’s fine. I can deliver more within the hour. No biggie.”
“I’m going to need more information in order to consider accepting this assignment,” Raoulf said.
Mr. Chestnut narrowed his gaze. “What other information do you need…besides what I’ve already given you?”
“Who is this woman? Who was she to you?”
Mr. Chestnut swallowed visibly. “She was supposed to be my business partner…and we had agreed to marry.”
“What is it that you want from her?”
“The agreement she broke cost me.”
“Cost you what? Money?” Raoulf continued to press for the details despite how irritated Mr. Chestnut appeared.
“Yes, money. More than money, actually.”
“And you want her found? Why exactly? If she wanted to honor your agreement, she would have done so already, yes?”
Mr. Chestnut remained quiet for a beat or two and then said, “It’s complicated. I don’t really want to harm her. I just want what she owes me.”
“Where was the last place you saw her?”
“In Texas. Almost a year ago.”
“And since then you’ve been trying to find her?”
“Not actively. Following her disappearance, I got caught up in other things. I chalked it up as a loss until now. When I settled down here in Aspen Valley, Tennessee to take over my cousin’s business, I didn’t have time to run after her. That’s when a colleague of mine suggested your services. He says you can find just about anyone…human, shifter, or otherwise.”
“I’ll need any files that you kept on her. Documents, papers she signed, aliases she revealed…”
Mr. Chestnut leaned forward in his chair. “Does that mean you’ll help me?”
“Yes, I’ll take the assignment.”
Chapter 2
“Ms. Moore, this is Aisha from the Bank of North Virginia in Alastar. I have some good news for you.”
Nina pulled off the disposable plastic gloves and changed the cellphone’s output from the speaker to the handset. She pressed the device to her ears. “That sounds promising, Aisha. What is it?”
“The vice president just approved the funding of your small business loan!”
Nina was grinning from ear to ear by the time Aisha had completed her sentence.
“If you can get up here today to sign some paperwork, I can get your business account funded by noon tomorrow.”
“Thank you so much, Aisha, for all of your help. I’m so excited about this.”
“I’m glad I could help you out,” Aisha said. “Do you think you’ll be able to get down here before six today?”
Nina glanced up at the clock on the wall of the bakery. “Ugh, I’m working a shift and a half today, so it might be a stretch. But if Charlie gets here on time today, I might be able to make it in around five.”
“I’ll be here with the papers ready for you. Oh, by the way…have you guys baked any more of those strawberry cupcakes this week?”
Aisha smiled. “I’ll start a fresh batch for you after I get done with these pies and bring some out to you.”
“Awesome! You know how much I love those things.”
“I’ll see you shortly after five, Aisha. Gotta go now.”
When Nina hung up with Aisha, she nearly screamed with delight. Finally, things were starting to get back on track for her. For almost a year now, she’d been trying to get the funding she needed to finance some kitchen equipment.
Nina glanced around her at the workstation. She’d been making pies to deliver to a company party in the morning. With dough and pie filling covered over every surface including herself, she vowed that she’d take a nice, hot relaxing bath when she got home tonight. One thing was certain, she was going to miss this. She enjoyed working at the little bakery and meeting all the locals here, but it was time to move on. The owner always knew that her time here wouldn’t last. He’d been kind enough to help her out when she needed it most, but although cooking was in her heart and her blood, she had never imagined being a pastry chef all of her life. She welcomed more variety. The master chef in her wanted to create more than just cakes and pies. She longed to create the delicious full course meals that she was once known for. And if she were lucky, in less than a year, she’d have her own catering operation set up. She’d have a chance to start over from virtually nothing.
Chapter 3
Raoulf Justice wasn’t a coffee fanatic…at all, but he chugged down the hot espresso-fueled beverage anyway. The 8 oz. cup would be his third since he crossed state lines. With just under another fifty miles to go before he reached his destination, he didn’t plan on lingering around now. Pit stops for caffeine and junk food had been the only thing keeping him alert. He should’ve listened to his gut instincts and caught up on sleep before heading out of town, but he’d been eager to get this job over and done with. Not so far off in the distant future, the vacation that he’d planned for himself was just an arm’s reach away. It wasn’t like he needed the money or anything. With the amount of danger that came with any given job he took, he was always paid handsomely. But only when he delivered…
He glanced down at his wristwatch to make sure that he wouldn’t be cutting into his estimated time of arrival too much given the various stringent speed limits across state lines. Cops were known for setting up speed traps on this stretch of highway and another run-in with the law was something he needed to avoid like the fucking plague. Pent up in a jail cell in another state wasn’t something he was going to endure again this year.
Raoulf tipped the bag of mixed nuts over his mouth, gobbled them up, and threw the cellophane wrapper in the trash beside the curb of the gas station. He yearned for hot and home-cooked food, but that would have to wait too. Once he made it to his destination, he’d grab a hot meal before crashing for the night. He had a limited amount of time to deliver what he’d been sent to retrieve, so he’d be out hunting bright and early in the morning before the lead grew cold.
Bounty hunting was his profession and he made good money and a healthy living from it. The jobs weren’t always quick and easy, but he had an infamous track record for hunting people down and recovering assets. Yet, his services were in high demand and he often turned down more assignments than he took on. On a scale of one to ten, this assignment hadn’t even been dubbed a four. As complicated as the circumstances were presented to him by Mr. Chestnut, he had no interested in it all—but he had offered a generous fee. The cash was already enough to get him through this coming spring and possibly even most of next year. The bonus would only be icing on the cake. He’d told himself this past summer that he wouldn’t take on any more assignments in this upcoming year. His brother, the Alpha of the Aspen Valley Wolf Pack, needed him for important matters back home. This would be his last assignment for a while.
Raoulf retrieved a small card from his wallet, unfolded it, and ran over the details of the case once more. What he really couldn’t get out of his mind was the unclear photo of the woman. The picture was black and white and the baseball cap she wore covered most of her face. Nina Moore. Female. 26 years old. She held a Master’s of Science in Culinary Arts and she used to co-own a catering business in Miller Springs, Texas—the same town where Warren Chestnut claimed to have employed her. According to Raoulf’s research, the last known phone number belonging to a Nina Moore hadn’t been in use for months. When he’d first began researching her in order to locate her whereabouts, she seemed like an ordinary woman to him. What would lead a small town caterer to enter a business agreement with Warren Chestnut only to renege and then disappear without a trace?
Aspen Valley Wolf Pack (The Complete Series) Page 29